Suns name Jay Triano interim coach after Earl Watson fired

After the firing of coach Earl Watson on Sunday, the Phoenix Suns promoted Jay Triano to interim head coach, the team announced late Sunday night.

Triano, 59, who served as associate head coach under Watson, was 87-142 in two-plus seasons (2008-11) as the Toronto Raptors’ head coach. Triano was also the coach of the Canada national team.

The Suns play the Sacramento Kings on Monday night in Phoenix. There is an expectation that Triano will coach them for the rest of the regular season, league sources said.

The Suns dismissed three assistant coaches with Watson, including Nate Bjorkgren, Mehmet Okur and Jason Fraser, league sources said. Okur and Fraser were player development coaches, working mainly on skill development. Tyrone Corbin, who was a head coach with Utah and Sacramento, will be the top assistant under Triano.

“Thank you to my Suns family, the Phoenix community and everyone who has supported me through this journey,” Watson said to ESPN. “Life has unpredictable pivots that I embrace humbly and with great purpose.”